Advice

In honor of mother's day I would like to share with you guys some quotes from some of the amazing women in my life. Below each quote I will describe how these quotes helped me not only with everyday life but also how I apply it to my own mental health issues.

My great grandmother ( Old Grandma) not only taught me how to snap beans, make chicken and  dumplings, which soap operas were her favorite, and that hard work is essential to get anything done, came up with such intriguing advice such as:

"Close your eyes and go to sleep before the bears come in and eat you."

Life: This really doesn't apply to my life situations or mental health. This was told to my mother all through her childhood whenever she spent the night. Thankfully, this was not ever told to me as a child or I would have not slept.....ever. It did not help that she lived in the country by thick dense woods.
Probably why, when my uncle decided to scare my mother and aunt spending the night at my great grandma's house by scratching on the screen at night was so successful. Ahhhh he was such a jokester.

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Great Aunt Lorena (Aunty pronounced Ainty)

"I never would want someone that didn't want me."

Life: Some people are not worth your time. Let it go, move on and find someone better.

Mental: Some people will not understand or care. Don't worry about it. There are always more people to talk to about your issues and make friends with.

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Grandma (Red Headed Grandma/Grain Grain)

"Don't look at them or they will come over here and talk to you."

Life: Sounds like odd advice but if you make eye contact you are opening up yourself for conversations you may or may not want to have. Case in point, back when there was a scare of terrorists using anthrax, I was at the Goodwill. I was aware I was being stalked by a very strange woman. I did not heed my grandmother's advice, I looked at her and made eye contact. Thus, opening the door to a conversation. She didn't bother with the normal greetings. She walked over to me and asked if I thought terrorists would put Amtrak in our water. I assured her I believed we were perfectly safe from that.(I have no official knowledge on such things, but I was pretty confident terrorists had better things to do than poison our water system with trains.) I didn't have the heart to correct her. If I had listened to my grandma's advice I would have missed out on what is probably the oddest conversation with a stranger I have ever had, and I have had some whoppers.

Mental: Only look directly at things that you want to delve into. If you are not ready to really examine a certain problem then don't look at it. When you want to fix the things going wrong, you need to really look at them. They will open up and come talk to you.


"Fried potatoes go with anything"

Life: Can you think of one dinner that couldn't use a heaping spoon of fried taters? Nope. Potatoes are marvelous.

Mental: There is always room for things you like. Too much of a good thing can be bad, however. Moderation is the key to dealing with mental issues. I make room for things I like as long as I do not stress myself out by doing them too much.


"Everything Comes out in the warsh."

Life: Yes, I said warsh because that is how she says it. It means everything will be fine, don't worry about it.

Mental: With my OCD, I can get bogged down by worries that are not that important or are blown out of proportion  It will turn out to be nothing, later. Nine times out of ten it turns out just fine and I wasted time fretting over nothing.

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Mom (Mommy)

"Beautiful is a state of mind."

Life: Beauty is subjective to the beholder

Mental: I am beautiful not just in spite of my differences but because of them.


"You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar"

Life: Be nice

Mental: Even when frustrated try to be polite. People will like you more. No one wants to hang out with a complete jerk. You can't like yourself if you are mean to everyone. I want to and need to like myself.



"Never Be ashamed of who you are."

Life: I don't have to be perfect

Mental: I am not perfect and I may have mental illness, but I will never be ashamed of it. I can not help what is wrong with me. I didn't choose this, but I can choose to live my life to the best of my ability. Shame is not welcome in my life, anymore.


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Sister In Law (NoNo)

"Always carry an umbrella."

Life: Umbrellas are good for protection. It protects you from the rain but also rabid dogs and maniacal attackers. It can be a weapon of protection. Not to mention it can match your outfit.

Mental: Always be prepared that things can quickly turn into a situation you did not see coming. Always have a back up plan so that if you encounter something that knocks you on your butt, you can smack it in the face and say I am not going down like that. Be prepared to have mental preparation in case you need it.

 
So in all of this advice and quotes we can learn to help ourselves. We sometimes forget that others might know more than we do, because they have gone through it first. They have taken the time to share their lives and truths with us and we should be grateful.  Whether we need to hear that we are worthy, we are strong, or how not to worry, we should appreciate what we are given. They know what they are talking about. So as we think of our mothers, lets also think of their mothers and so on. The women that taught us all how to be the people we are now. And always believe it almost always comes out in the warsh.  Now as you go to sleep tonight and your all comfy and warm under your covers, and your about to nod off to dream land, just remember close your eyes or the bears might come in and eat you.....Night all.
                                   Neurotic Nelly